379th Bomb Group
527 Bomb Squadron A
Hugh was the tail gunner on a B-17 bomber that was shot up badly on December 20, 1943. Hugh was the only member of the crew killed.
A book has been written about this incident - A Higher Call: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II by Adam Makos and Larry Alexander (Dec 19, 2012).
From the military citation:
S/Sgt. Hugh Sylvester Eckenrode was awarded posthumously the United States Air Force Silver Star citation with a Purple Heart for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed enemy as a B-17 Tail Gunner while attacking a heavily defended target over occupied Germany on December 20, 1943.
The citation was not awarded until February 4, 2008 due to the mission being classified as "secret" at the time it was carried out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hugh also had a brother whose grave still needs to be located so that he can be linked into the Family on Find A Grave. He is:
John Clark Eckenrode 1912-1986
527 Bomb Squadron A
Hugh was the tail gunner on a B-17 bomber that was shot up badly on December 20, 1943. Hugh was the only member of the crew killed.
A book has been written about this incident - A Higher Call: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II by Adam Makos and Larry Alexander (Dec 19, 2012).
From the military citation:
S/Sgt. Hugh Sylvester Eckenrode was awarded posthumously the United States Air Force Silver Star citation with a Purple Heart for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed enemy as a B-17 Tail Gunner while attacking a heavily defended target over occupied Germany on December 20, 1943.
The citation was not awarded until February 4, 2008 due to the mission being classified as "secret" at the time it was carried out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hugh also had a brother whose grave still needs to be located so that he can be linked into the Family on Find A Grave. He is:
John Clark Eckenrode 1912-1986
379th Bomb Group
527 Bomb Squadron A
Hugh was the tail gunner on a B-17 bomber that was shot up badly on December 20, 1943. Hugh was the only member of the crew killed.
A book has been written about this incident - A Higher Call: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II by Adam Makos and Larry Alexander (Dec 19, 2012).
From the military citation:
S/Sgt. Hugh Sylvester Eckenrode was awarded posthumously the United States Air Force Silver Star citation with a Purple Heart for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed enemy as a B-17 Tail Gunner while attacking a heavily defended target over occupied Germany on December 20, 1943.
The citation was not awarded until February 4, 2008 due to the mission being classified as "secret" at the time it was carried out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hugh also had a brother whose grave still needs to be located so that he can be linked into the Family on Find A Grave. He is:
John Clark Eckenrode 1912-1986
527 Bomb Squadron A
Hugh was the tail gunner on a B-17 bomber that was shot up badly on December 20, 1943. Hugh was the only member of the crew killed.
A book has been written about this incident - A Higher Call: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II by Adam Makos and Larry Alexander (Dec 19, 2012).
From the military citation:
S/Sgt. Hugh Sylvester Eckenrode was awarded posthumously the United States Air Force Silver Star citation with a Purple Heart for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed enemy as a B-17 Tail Gunner while attacking a heavily defended target over occupied Germany on December 20, 1943.
The citation was not awarded until February 4, 2008 due to the mission being classified as "secret" at the time it was carried out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hugh also had a brother whose grave still needs to be located so that he can be linked into the Family on Find A Grave. He is:
John Clark Eckenrode 1912-1986
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